Pupils’ achievements celebrated in the Lincolnshire School Games’ Virtual County Finals

Netball skills in the virtual school games.

The Lincolnshire Virtual School Games has been keeping children across the county active at home since the end of April with a programme of eight sports inspired competitions.

Finalists from each of the eight competitions will now go forward to represent their schools in a virtual County Finals to be screened on July 1, at 10am.

The finalists' sporting achievements will be celebrated in a showreel, with a range of guest commentators from the world of sport guiding you through the action and announcing the winners. Commentators include Paralympian Richard Whitehead; Loughborough Lightning Captain and GB netballer Nat Panagarry and Lincolnshire based PGA golf professional Ashton Turner from Alford.

School children have been practising their cricket skills for the school games.

The Lincolnshire School Games programme is a hugely popular annual programme, designed to keep competitive sport at the heart of schools and provide young people with the opportunity to compete and achieve their personal best. Following the closure of schools in March due to coronavirus precautions, the Lincolnshire School Sports Partnerships and Active Lincolnshire who usually organise school competitions and co-ordinate the School Games County Finals, worked together to make it possible for children and young people across Lincolnshire to enjoy the spirit of the School Games from the safety of their homes.

The competition received 800 entries to the eight competitions, which were based around: ance, athletics, boccia, cricket, running, tennis, netball and golf. Eighty-one children and young people from 48 different schools across Lincolnshire have gone through to the County Finals.

Jess Lovett, Project Delivery Team Officer at Active Lincolnshire, who leads on engagement with the schools’ network and partners to co-ordinate the Lincolnshire School Games programme, commented: “It’s been wonderful to see so many children getting involved in the Lincolnshire Virtual School Games challenges over the past two months. The idea of the virtual competition was to keep children active and engaged at home during the Covid-19 pandemic, when young people have been unable to take part in their usual sports and activities. The Virtual School Games have also provided an opportunity for children to compete against others as well as challenge themselves to achieve their personal best.

"We’re looking forward to celebrating the achievement of the participants, finalists and winners at the online County Final on July 1. We hope that as many people as possible will join us on the day to support all the finalists and cheer for their schools. We’re also setting a special activity challenge with Paralympian Richard Whitehead on social media that we hope people will get involved with.”

Doing the home pentathlon for the school games.

To watch the video visit https://activelincolnshire.com/county-finals/ on the day. There is no need to pre-book or register. You can also follow the hashtag #LincsSG2020 to keep up to date with the latest announcements.

For more ideas and inspiration to keep children active at home visit the ‘Keeping Children Active at Home’ page on the Active Lincolnshire website https://activelincolnshire.com/keeping-children-active-home/.

Schools that have pupils in the County Finals are:

Alford Primary

Allington with Sedgebrook Church of England Primary School

Barrowby Church of England Primary School

Boston High School

Boston St Mary's

Bourne Grammar

Branston Community Academy

Brant Broughton Primary School

Caistor GrammarCranwell Primary School

Fiskerton Primary

Grantham Prep

Grasby All Saints C of E Primary

Huttoft Primary

Kirkby La Thorpe C of E Primary

Kirton Primary

Kesteven and Sleaford High School

Lacey Gardens Junior Academy

Langtoft Primary

Leasingham St Andrews C of E Primary School

Ling Moor Primary

Metheringham Primary School

Moulton John Harrox

Navenby C of E Primary School

North Kesteven Academy

Priory Pembroke Academy

Priory Ruskin Academy

Quadring Primary

Queen Elizabeth Grammar School Alford

Queen Elizabeth High School

Reepham C of E Primary School

The Richmond School

Saxilby Primary

Sibsey Primary School

Sir William Robertson

Somercotes Academy

St Andrews Primary School, Woodhall Spa

St George's, Sleaford

St Hugh's Woodall Spa

The Deepings School

The Holt

The Priory LSST, Lincoln

Thomas Middlecott

Uffington Primary

Welton St Marys

William Farr

Winchelsea Primary School

Wrangle Primary